Electric-arc lamp.



Patented June [2, I900.

No. 65l,733.

w. F. WEGNER.

ELECTRIC ABC LAMP.

(Applicatinn filed Mar. 12, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet'h (No Model.)

THE NORRIS PETERS co, PHOTO-LUNG wAsHmai'oN. 0v 4:.

No. 65l,733. Patented June 12, I900.

W. F. WEGNEB.

ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

(Application filed Mar, 12, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

ml 3 i In w y M06 /6 all, W4I%%%r 04%? A QW 96',

ATTOHNEYJ,,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. XVEGNER: OF VEST SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OFTHREE-FOURTHS' TO DANIEL E. FORD, HENRY J. CONNOR, AND HERVEY WV.DIETRIOH, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC-ARC LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,733, dated June 12,1900.

Application filed March 12,1900. Serial No. 8,310. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. WEGNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at West Superior, in the county of Douglas and State ofWVisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Electric-ArcLamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric-arc lamps; and the objects of the sameare to provide to simple and efficient means for automaticallyestablishing and regulating the are between the carbons and to provide alamp which can be operated with either direct or alternating currentsand means of adjustment which will not become deranged by currents ofhigh voltage. V

Another object is to provide a lamp which will be light in weight, notliable to get out of order, and one which may be manufactured 2o atacomparatively slight cost.

I attain these objects by means of the construction shown in theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and inwhich Figure 1 is a vertical section of a lamp made in accordance withmy invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the operating mechanism.

In said drawings the numeral 1 designates the casing or dome of thelamp, and 2 is a base or support for the operative mechanism, said baseor support consisting of a disk, of non-conducting material, securedwithin the lower end of the dome by screws 3. Fitted into a centralaperture in the disk 2 is a sleeve 4, said sleeve having a flange 5 anda screw-threaded end to accommodate the nuts 6, which secure the sleeveto the disk. A tube 7 is suitably supported in an aperture near the edgeof the disk 2, and said tube extends downward and at its lower end isconnected to the arm or bracket which supports the lower carbon. Forconvenience in pack ing and assembling this tube may be made in twosections connected by a threaded collar 8. The lower end of the tube 7fits an opening in the bracket 9, and a non-conducting plug 10 is fittedwithin the tube. A threaded bolt 11 passes through the plug 10, and anut 12 fits the projecting end of the bolt. The, lower carbon is seatedin a sleeve 13, insulated from the bracket 9, andis held in place by aset-screw 14C. The lower carbon is designated 15 and the upper carbon16.

Rising from the support 2 is an upright 17, to the upper end of which alever 18 is pivoted near one of its ends. To the short arm of the lever18 a thermo-expansive wire 19 is secured, said wire extending downinside the tube 7 and connected to the upper end of bolt 11. To the longarm of lever 18 a connecting-rod 20 is attached, said rod extending downand pivoted to a lever 21, pivoted on a support 22, attached to the base2. The opposite end of lever 21 is connected to the clutch 23 by atoggle 2 .1, of dielectric material. A standard 25, extending upwardfrom the base 2, is curved at its upper end and has secured thereto anadjusting-screw 26 .for supporting a spring 27, connected at its lowerend to a lug28, projecting from the clutch 23., A bracket 29 projectsfrom the support 17, and a spring 30 is suspended from anadjusting-screw 31, passed through said bracket 29. The opposite end ofthe spring 30 is connected to an ear 32 on an arm 33, of non-conductingmaterial, which is connected to clutch 23. Depending from an ear 34: onarm is a core 35, which extends downward into the solenoid 36, saidsolenoid having a support 37 resting on the base 2. An adjustingscrew 38extends upward through base 2 into the solenoid 36 and fits threadsformed in support 37.

The electrical connections of my lamp are made as follows: The circuitstarts from the main line and connects with a resistance-coil 38, thencethrough wire passing through an insulating-eyelet 39 in the dome, saidwire connecting with insulated clutch 23, through said clutch to uppercarbon 16, to lower car bon 15, through wire 40, connecting sleeve 13and bolt 11, thence through the thermo-expansive wire 19, through wire41, connecting top of said wire 19 and solenoid 36, through 5solenoid-coil, through wire 42, which connects solenoid to main line,and passes through insulating-eyelet 4:3 in the dome.

The operation is as follows: hen the current is turned through the lampand the carbons are in contact, the entire current passes through thecarbons into the thermo-expansive wire. Said wire is heated andlengthened, thus raising the short arm of lever 18 and depressing thelong arm thereof, which action is communicated through connectingrod 20to lever 21, which permits the spring 27 to react and lift the clutch23, thereby raising the carbon 16 and establishing an are between thecarbons. Simultaneously with this action the solenoid is energized bythe current and draws down the core to contact with adjusting-screw 38.This descent of the core overcomes the tension of spring 30 and drawsdown the clutch 23, which carries with it the upper carbon 16, thusadjusting the are to the desired length. This action may be controlledby the adjusting-screw 3 When the arc becomes elongated by burning awayof the carbons, the resistance of said are is increased and the actionof the solenoid on its core is proportionately diminished,thuspermitting spring 30 to raise clutch 28, thereby releasing the uppercarbon, so that it slides through the clutch to contact with the lowercarbon, when the same process is gone through with again, the action ofthe current upon the thermo-expansive wire and solenoid 36 automaticallyadjusting the length of the are.

To adapt my lamp to currents of different Voltage, adjustment is made bymeans of screw 38.

When my device is operated in series, it is necessary to have a simplecheap resistancecoil, which may be of iron wire, in position in thenormally-open shunt about the lamp in the usual way.

and used by many subsequent inventors; but I am not aware that any onehas ever used the thermo expansive wire in combination with a floatingclutch and a solenoid having an adjustable core for the purpose ofregulating such a lamp, substantially as set forth in the foregoingspecification.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. In anelectric-are lamp, a movable carbon-holder suspended from a spring, asolenoid, a core suspended therein by a spring, and an electric circuitoperating on said springs to raise one side of said carbon-holder and tolower the opposite side of said holder to clamp the carbon and establishthe are between the carbons, substantially as described.

2. In an automatic regulator for electric-arc lamps, a movablecarbon-clutch, suspended by two springs at opposite sides of the clutch,a solenoid, a core suspended therein and connected to one of the springsand to the clutch, a thermo-expansive wire in electric circuit with thesolenoid for depressing the core and simultaneously operating a seriesof lovers to depress the opposite side of the clutch to establish thedesired arc and said series of levers, substantially as described.

3. In a regulating mechanism for electricarc lights, a floating clutch,a pendent spring attached to one side of said clutch, a core suspendedwithin a solenoid attached to said spring, a second spring attached tothe opposite side of said clutch, and a thermo-expansive wire connectedto said second spring by suitable means, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM F. WEGNER. lVitn esses:

MINNIE LANDER, EDWARD OoLLINs.

